Besieged

Touched by Genius. Cursed by Madness. Blinded by Love.

When an African dictator jails her husband, Shandurai goes into exile in Italy, studying medicine and keeping house for Mr. Kinsky, an eccentric English pianist and composer. She lives in one room of his Roman palazzo. He besieges her with flowers, gifts, and music, declaring passionately that he loves her, would go to Africa with her, would do anything for her. 'What do you know of Africa?,' she asks, then, in anguish, shouts, 'Get my husband out of jail!' The rest of the film plays out the implications of this scene and leaves Shandurai with a choice.

Direction

Bernardo Bertolucci

Screenplay

👤

Clare Peploe

Bernardo Bertolucci

👤

James Lasdun